The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "God: the unchanging 'king of kings'” for Saturday, 11 February 2017Psalm 46:10 (9) To the ends of the earth he makes wars cease —
he breaks the bow, snaps the spear,
burns the shields in the fire.
11 (10) “Desist, and learn that I am God,
supreme over the nations,
supreme over the earth.”
Revelation 17:9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is sitting; also they are seven kings — 10 five have fallen, one is living now and the other is yet to come; and when he does come, he must remain only a little while. 11 The beast which once was and now is not is an eighth king; it comes from the seven and is on its way to destruction. 12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet begun to rule, but they receive power as kings for one hour, along with the beast. 13 They have one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are called, chosen and faithful will overcome along with him.”
Ezra 7:11 Here is the letter that King Artach’shashta gave ‘Ezra the cohen and Torah-teacher, the student of matters relating to Adonai’s mitzvot and his laws for Isra’el:
12 “From: Artach’shashta, king of kings
“To: ‘Ezra the cohen, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, etc.:
“Herewith
Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his shofar; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdom of the world
has become the Kingdom
of our Lord and his Messiah,
and he will rule forever and ever!”
16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones in God’s presence fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying,
“We thank you, Adonai,
God of heaven’s armies,[Revelation 11:17 Amos 3:13; 4:13]
the One who is and was,
that you have taken your power
and have begun to rule.
18 “The Goyim raged.[Revelation 11:18 Psalm 2:1]
But now your rage has come,
the time for the dead to be judged,
the time for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your holy people,
those who stand in awe of your name,
both small and great.
It is also the time for destroying
those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the Ark of the Covenant was seen in his Temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake and violent hail.
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The traditional King James Version translation of Psalm 46:10 is, “Be still.” But the Hebrew did not refer to going to a quiet mountain retreat. It was a call to say “enough” to our noisy inner
fears, and with them silenced, to recognize God as our place of safety. At the end of the Bible, in visions packed with symbols, Revelation proclaimed Jesus’ final triumph over evil. In the first
century, for Christians, the persecuting Roman Empire (Rome—the city on seven mountains, or hills) was evil incarnate. The vision gave Jesus a double title— “Lord of lords and King of kings.” It echoed a title Caesar often claimed. Jesus was king, not just over “little people,” but over all other kings, even over Caesar. He was, and is, “our place of safety.”
• “The basis for the Lamb’s victory in 17:14 is that ‘he is Lord of lords and King of kings’…. Just as the Babylonian king [in Daniel 4] was addressed by this title, so the king of latter day Babylon (Rome) in John’s day was similarly addressed…. The Lamb exposes as false the divine claims of the emperor and others like him.”* Rome was hardly unique. Human rulers have often claimed divine approval or status (e.g. Nazi soldiers wore belt buckles that said, in German, “God is with us”). Many rulers today, formal or informal, claim exalted status for themselves. Do you trust that Jesus is “king of kings” over all of them? In what ways is that trust the foundation for the peace and hope in which we can live at all times?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the King of kings, you are the Lord of lords. I cannot fully grasp all the reach of that, but I can and do ask you to be Lord of my life, to make me the person you want me to be. Amen.
* G. K Beale and D. K. Carson, ed. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007, p. 1139.
Family Activity: Many people struggle with change, sometimes even fear it. As a family, name the four seasons, then invite each person to share what they like and dislike about each one. For example, the summer brings about more free time, but often high heat. The winter offers snow for sledding and snowball fights, but unsafe driving conditions. Take a moment to imagine what life would be like if you only experienced one seasonevery day, all year long. What would you like about that? What would you miss? Remind one another that even though change can be difficult, we can often find good in the new experience or situation. Read Lamentations 3:22-23 and Hebrews 13:8 [Lamentations 3:22 that the grace of Adonai is not exhausted,
that his compassion has not ended.
23 [On the contrary,] they are new every morning!
How great your faithfulness! and Hebrews 13:8 Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever.] aloud, then thank God for being faithful through all of life’s changes. Pray for a heart and mind open to positive and healthy change.
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As I read through this scripture, I am reminded of the task we are assigned as Christians. The Lord commands us to place him above all else; He is above all things, and is in command of all creation. The passage from Revelation brings to me to the present we all reside in.
I am currently enrolled in a government course at my high school and we have recently discussed that America is a republic: a form of government in which we the people elect leaders to have power over us, to guide us, and to do those things that we simply have not the time or ability to do.
Yet, in all of that, we must keep strong in the notion that God resides above any power of Earth, and above any person who claims to have such earthly power. No matter the form of leadership, no matter the officials, no matter the laws, we cannot create a utopia because the only perfection known to humans is that of God.
In Revelation, we are told a story of conflict and conquest by both the forces of evil and that of the Lamb. The nations of this world, kings and emperors, may declare war upon the Lord. However, as Christians, we are encouraged to believe in the God of Jacob and the heavenly forces that are ever-present in our lives. The world may seem pitted against us, but I think back to one of my favorite verses when situations like this arise: “You will be hated because of my name, but those who endure to the end will be saved” (Matt. 10:22). Jesus commands us to love, but we will likely be mocked and persecuted because of it. And “blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me” (Matt. 5:11)?
Daily, I attempt to remember that the God above me, above my neighbors, and above everything that ever has been and will be loves me in a unique and unimaginable way. No force on earth, be it man, empire, or nature, can overcome the love of Jesus Christ for each of us.
I can’t speak for those who may be persecuted or put down because of Jesus, for I have been blessed with people who love God in much the same way and with a nation that, at least seemingly more than some others, wants to fulfill the Word of God. I do believe, however, that a day will arise in which someone will attempt to break my spirit. When that day comes I hope to remember to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because I know that, in the Lord, my labor is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).
PALMER EMBRYPalmer Embry is a senior at Blue Valley Southwest High School and an active student leader in rezlife student ministries.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• June Wallis and family on the death of her husband Charles Wallis, 1/30
•Brad Wallis and family on the death of his father Charles Wallis, 1/30
•Tim McCarthy and family on the death of his sister Katie Maninger, 1/30
•Steven Blair and family on the death of his mother Sandy Blair, 1/30
• Julie Bickel and family on the death of her mother Gloria Qualls, 1/30
•Gene Spratford and family on the death of his wife Missy Murray, 1/29
• Joyce Gregory and family on the death of her father Frank Deibert, 1/27
•Tim Danner and family on the death of his mother Mary Anderson, 1/27
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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